Progress in achieving the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand SAP targets
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The “Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand” (SCS SAP Project) completed its Inception Phase with the 1st Steering Committee Meeting held online on the 29 and 30 of June, 2021 with official representatives from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam and the UNEP Task Manager for the project, with the support of SEAFDEC, UNOPS and the Project Coordination Unit staff. This was followed by the Inception Workshop was held on the 1 July 2021 in order to present and launch the project and discuss key partnerships. In the opening statements it was noted that this is a “monumental event” to launch the project and coordinate with partners and stakeholders, with over 200 participants, including participating country national teams, and other relevant national stakeholders, and key regional and global partners and projects.
For further information, please click this link.
South China Sea Organizes its First Regional Working Group Meetings on Habitats
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The First Regional Working Group Meetings for Mangroves (1 December 2021), Coral Reefs (2 December 2021), Seagrass (3 December 2021) and Wetlands (7 December 2021) were held with national committee chairs and representatives of each working group including national project teams and experts to present and discuss the SAP targets particularly the status of SAP implementation from 2008-2020, and the status and progress of the SCS SAP Project implementation. Across the habitat working groups, it was evident that significant progress had been achieved in SAP implementation over the last decade in terms of the declaration of sites with protection and conservation status, development and implementation of management plans including restoration in sites, and adoption of policy and legislative reforms, among others.
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For further details about the meetings, please click [LINK]
Save the Date!
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The Steering Committee Meeting is the formal decision-making body of the project, consisting of the chairpersons of the National Inter-Ministry Committee (IMC) and the National Technical Working Group from the six participating countries, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with secretariat support from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). The objective of the meeting is to discuss and adopt the detailed activities, work plan and budget and organizational arrangements of the project, among others.
The SCS SAP Inception Workshop will launch and kick-start the project, engaging all project partners and key stakeholders who will be invited to attend. The objective of the Inception Workshop is to present the project and have an open exchange and share information with all stakeholders regarding the project. This event will finally conclude the project’s Inception Phase to start the full implementation phase of the project.
Both events will be held online using the ZOOM online meeting platform. The documents and other materials will be available on project website at https://www.scssap.org/events.
Save the Date!
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According to the Terms of Reference of the Regional Working Groups (RWGs) adopted at the 1st Project Steering Committee (29-30 June 2021), the purpose of RWG has the responsibility “for co-ordinating the work of the National Committees on mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass, and wetlands, established in each of the participating countries; for ensuring effective implementation of project activities undertaken in the context of the achievement of the habitats management targets of the project; and to provide a mechanism for exchange of information and experience of habitats management activities in each country.”
The objectives of the First Meeting of the Regional Working Groups include 1. Present and discuss the SAP targets for mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass and wetlands, and selected sites; 2. Present the compiled information provided on the status of SAP implementation between 2008-2020, which will be further developed into a publication in 2022; 3. Present the compiled information on the national revisions to targets and sites, building upon recent and ongoing projects, initiatives, and best practices; and 4. Discuss executing arrangement and work plans for 2021-2022.
The documents and other materials will be available on the project website at https://www.scssap.org/events.
South China Sea Discusses Implementation Plan for Execution at National and Site Levels
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National agencies from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand as well as the Project Implementation Unit met on 15 March 2021 online to discuss and elaborate further the preparation of the National Implementation Report (NIR) for adoption at the First PSC meeting. A total of forty-three (43) participants attended the meeting.
The meeting was organized to provide support and guidance to the national teams in order to have a common and clear understanding on how to develop and complete the NIR, which is considered as the National Project Document that will be the basis for execution of the project and its activities at national and site levels. All participants expressed appreciation on the timely organization of the meeting as it provided them guidance and clarification in addressing issues and concerns encountered in developing and completing the NIR.
For further details of the meeting, see the project website at https://www.scssap.org/events.
Launching the SCS SAP with countries and partners
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The Inception Workshop was held on the 1 July 2021 in order to present and launch the project and discuss key partnerships. In the opening statements it was noted that this is a “monumental event” to launch the project and coordinate with partners and stakeholders, with over 200 participants, including participating country national teams, and other relevant national stakeholders, and key regional and global partners and projects.
The SCS SAP overall vision, objectives, outputs as well as planned activities for 2021 were presented by the Senior Project Manager, as well as the projects executing arrangements and national and regional level working groups and committees to ensure full engagement of all stakeholders in project execution. This was followed by national presentations from National Technical Working Group chairs from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.
South China Sea discusses key actions to implement the Strategic Action Programme for the marine and coastal environment
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Sixty-five (65) participants from national agencies from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam as well as from UN agencies UNEP and UNOPS and regional organizations SEAFDEC and COBSEA met on 4 December 2020 online to further discuss the elaboration of national and regional activities for the UNEP/GEF South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand project to implement the Strategic Action Programme for the marine and coastal environment.
As part of the inception phase of the project, participating countries have organized their respective internal coordination and consultations with concerned agencies and institutions to discuss the project, identify key national focal points, experts and stakeholders, elaborate the activities for the key mangrove, seagrass, coral reef and wetland habitat sites in each country.
Countries agree on next steps to implement the SCS SAP
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The 1st Steering Committee Meeting of the SCS SAP project was held online on the 29 and 30 of June, 2021 with official representatives from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam and the UNEP Task Manager for the project, with the support of SEAFDEC, UNOPS and the Project Coordination Unit staff. National teams also participated as observers with a total of 51 participants in total. Over the course of one year, three regional meetings and over 30 national meetings and bilateral have been held in preparation. Regret was expressed that the meeting could not meet in person due to COVID-19 but it was stressed that “This project will not be stopped by the pandemic!”
Implementing and Aligning the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (SCS SAP) with recent global, regional and national priorities including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
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The UNEP GEF Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (SCS SAP) Project held its first Inception Phase online meeting on Thursday 30th July 2020, with forty-five (45) participants from national lead agencies from Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam as well as implementing and executing agencies, UNEP, UNOPS, and the Inception Phase consultants. China was unable to participate due to technical issues, which will be resolved for future meetings.
